Elite Traveler Fall 2021

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system to read letters written more than 100 years ago to our brand. We have so many stories to tell, and in the end, the objective is to make the boutique enjoyable for everyone,” says Schmiedt. “We want people who love watches to experience them and then, if they fall in love and buy one, we are very happy. But for me, our boutiques are about experiencing our uniqueness. The commercial aspect, selling a watch, becomes the result of the experience or of the relationship the person has with the Maison.” According to Schmiedt, his next efforts include getting to know his entire team in the Americas and encouraging everyone to be agile and “work like a web.” He also plans to focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Americas. “Each company has to find the right angle of how to credibly support CSR efforts that are in keeping with the ethos of the brand. For Vacheron Constantin, we have always been about the transmission of know-how and passing the skills of the crafts on to the next generation. So, supporting something for the future is an element we could develop, one that is genuine and authentic for us and that resonates with the market.” vacheron-constantin.com “In the past, we have communicated mostly about the history, but in the end, nobody cares that you’re old because if you are old, you can become old-fashioned”

watch that was inspired by the original driver’s watch made for the American market. The cushion- corner watch with off-centered round dial and crown placed above 12 o’clock (which is actually more like 2 o’clock on the case) houses original parts from the brand’s archives and, where certain pieces were not available, they were handmade in the same way there were made in 1921. This piece, which will go on an around-the-world tour, is currently on display in New York. “This is an exact replica inside and out of the original piece, made in our restoration atelier,” says Schmiedt. “This is an incredible story because very few manufacturers have the capabilities to do this. For us, it is about showing our craftsmanship, our technology and also our long-standing relationship with New York.” Even the art exhibit in the two-story foyer reflects New York. Inspired by artist Chris Burden’s Metropolis II sculpture, the installation is a replica of New York’s skyscrapers, complete with motion- activated, gold-hued cars that spin along the city streets. The sculpture is visible through the windows, as well. “We want the passers-by to be able to interact with the cars and see the sculpture, and hopefully it will spark their interest and make them want to come in,” says Schmiedt. “It is the first time that we don’t have to have the same generic look as every other city. We have global consistency, but we have something special here that really gives it a local New York City feel.” To Schmiedt, the experience is almost more important than selling a watch in the store. “People can take watchmaking classes here from our master watchmakers, they can use the digital archive

old boutique. Not just row upon row of showcases, it instead features comfortable seating areas, hidden whiskey bar, an interactive archive system, a strap department to customize straps, and rotating art display spaces. “I see it as an extension of the manufacture in Geneva. It has all of the elements that allow visitors to experience the Maison,” says Schmiedt. “As a watch collector, you can basically spend a whole day exploring everything we have there.” In fact, this is the first brand boutique in the world to have an ongoing, steady collection of refurbished, for-sale vintage pieces that are part of what is usually a traveling exhibit of Les Collectionneurs watches. Several years ago, Vacheron Constantin began acquiring vintage pieces and refurbishing them for sale to collectors around the world. The brand’s experts would travel with the collection from city to city, but now the New York store will always have Les Collectionneurs watches for sale. Each time one is sold, another will take its place. Additionally, Schmiedt is excited about the watches on display that have a true American heritage, since the brand has been important in America since the 19th century. Recently, Vacheron Constantin unveiled a one-of-a-kind American 1921

“For Vacheron Constantin, we have always been about the transmission of know-how and passing the skills of the crafts on to the next generation”

Photos Liam O'Donnell / Watchonista